


An Adventure Starts When You Run Away

by aereandria



Series: Snaps of Inspiration (that are unfortunately not related to my current works) [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cat lady Figg, Evil Albus Dumbledore, Floo Network, Flooing without know how - do not do this at home, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Runaway Harry Potter, Snobbish suburban behaviour, Squatting, Suspicious behaviour, harry will not be controlled, someone smells a rat or a cat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:34:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28664781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aereandria/pseuds/aereandria
Summary: Harry abandons the Dursleys when a strange girl asks him to run away with her, unknowingly disturbing all Dumbledore's long-laid plans.
Series: Snaps of Inspiration (that are unfortunately not related to my current works) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714474
Kudos: 19





	1. That Horrible Night

It takes Sienna some time to understand what exactly happened that horrible night. Then it took her even more time to figure out the _why_ of it. And when she finally does, she is pissed, heartbroken and angry.

So very _angry._

It takes a long time, longer than Sienna would have liked it to take, but eventually she finds them all.

And **destroys** them.

For nobody touches her family and lives to walk free.

As she stands over the last of the people who tore her life and everything precious from her, she feels slightly melancholy, a little lost but overall glad it's over. She knows why she feels lost, this had been driving her so long now she wonders briefly what to do with herself. She doesn’t worry all that much as she glances at the man standing beside her, his green eyes burning with vengeance at the corpse. She had always imagined doing this alone but she can never bring herself to regret the impulse of inviting Harry to run away with her. It had felt right and despite the world that had been set against them, they had _triumphed._

* * *

**_─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.Many years prior｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───_ **

Sienna had a bad feeling as well as a migraine. She didn’t like her bad feelings for things also seemed to go wrong when she had them. She remembered last year when her parents had taken her and her siblings out of school for an impromptu trip up to her grandparents. Her brother and sister had been ecstatic, too young to really understand the strangeness of the sudden visit nor could they see the tenseness that seemed to radiate from her parents’ postures. She had had a bad feeling the whole car ride. It only solidified when they arrived at Nanna and Grandpa’s to find not just their cousins and their Aunt and Uncle but relatives they only saw at big, big parties. Grandpa was lying in bed and the stupid machine beeped in the corner sending him oxygen that he could not get himself while Nanna hovered over him. Sienna knew her bad feeling was right, and she knew what was coming and she **hated** it.

Grandpa passed away late the next morning.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The next time she had a bad feeling was when her pet rabbit Texie was pregnant. Texie and her babies didn’t last the night and were buried in the garden with a nice headstone her sister made. She mourned Texie but also hated the feeling of sad acceptance that settled within her during the tiny funeral.

Her feelings weren’t always bad, and sometimes it wasn’t even a feeling. She just knew things. They were small things and at first Sienna dismissed it as luck and coincidence. But then she knew things she had no reason to know that could in no way be attributed to a mere fluke. It was, ha, _lucky_ though that her first and only slip had been brushed away as a child’s lack of filter and curiosity. She felt bad about the whole incident but not overly guilty as Mrs Swinden was a horrid teacher. Besides, if Mrs Swinden didn’t want to be embarrassed she shouldn’t have cheated on her husband and so blatantly too which is also why she had gotten away with knowing.

She wrote the whole thing off as having a touch of psychic abilities that she had read about. Surely they existed with the amount of literature on them. They did not seemed too destructive from the feel of them but she wished she could control them. It would be nice not to have to know somethings or to know more things. Somethings that came to her were simply useless facts, maybe if she was into gossip it would be delicious but she wasn’t, so the fact that the boy she sat next to was adopted and the girl who flaunted her wealth wasn’t actually her father’s biological daughter did not mean much to her. She would’ve much preferred to know why the man at the milkbar gave her the creeps. Unfortunately her gift refused to give her more than that. So she simply ran with that and if she spread several rumors that he might be a vampire, or a zombie or a criminal who was to know? It didn’t take long for the sheep-like children to boycott the grumpy old man’s store for the one down road. Or for the police to turn up and arrest him. He actually _was_ a criminal, imagine that.

**_─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟTh_ _at Horrible Night ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───_ **

It happened in September which was just another month in Sienna’s family. There were no birthdays to gear up for. No events. Just another month while her sister and her were at school and her brother at kindergarten.

It was the bad feeling that warned Sienna. It had been ringing through her whole body all day and by home time she felt almost sick with it. She was also worried. So very worried. Who would die? What did it mean? When nothing happened at school, Sienna only felt her agitation intensify. The only people left were her family.

Something bad was going to happen to her family.

She tried to warn them. She was practically hysterical but she could see that they didn’t believe her. Why would they? They thought her a child, who was probably scared of a nightmare. She could see the tiredness, bemusement and concern they aimed at her. No matter her begging, nothing happened. Determined to remain vigilant Sienna stayed awake until the feeling left her. Being a child did not help, so despite her resolve she fell asleep.

To this day she did not know what woke her but she felt like her whole body was sparked with electricity. She leapt out of bed quietly and made for her parents room. She crept silently down the hall dodging the floorboards that creaked with familiar deftness. She was about to leave the safety of the darkness to cross the foyer into her parents room when a shadow flickered and her bad feelings made her want to vomit. She could then smell it, blood and gasoline, and her mind screamed. She watched the shadow emerge from her parents bedroom and met up with another one that had come from the other hall that lead to brother and sister's room.

“It is done. The Threat has been neutralised”

“Almost. I only have two and there was a third no?”

“Down the other way. Do it quickly. I am starting the fire.”

“Copy that”

The blaze started but Sienna didn’t move even though the flames lit up the darkened corner she was hiding in. The shadow became a man that was wearing form fitting black clothes. He didn’t notice her as he tended to the flame, seeming to set things up in a way that looked accidental yet real. Not that she noticed at the time. It wasn’t until he was joined by the other shadow that morphed into a woman with dark hair and cold eyes.

“The third is gon-…”

They both turned suddenly noticed her presence. Sienna felt pinned, like facing down two predators. There was no escape.

The woman sighed “Oh how unfortunate. It's awake.”

“You know our orders.”

“Very well.”

And with that they convened on her, like wolves. Sienna closed her eyes and remembered praying to all the gods and to her family. Wishing so bloody hard, for what she wasn’t sure. For it to be quick? To be painless? For someone to come? For something, anything really.

And it did. The electricity that seemed to be humming along her body pushed outwards along with the bad feelings leaving her a little light-headed. Both the shadows were thrown against the wall. Sienna heard their sounds of surprise and knew they weren’t finished. She needed to stop them or they would kill her too. As if hearing her concern the knives that the two were armed with were wretched away from them and then flipped around to hover ominously at them. they then speed towards the two who tried to dodge but it was no use, the knives simply followed them.

The flames blazed around them now and hungrily consumed the bodies. As if in a trance Sienna blasted the window behind her. The strange energy seemed to be keeping the flames at bay but it would not be enough soon. She sent a look in the directions of her parents and sibling rooms but knew it would not be possible, the fire was too fierce. She climbed up onto the window and jumped down using the energy to float herself down from the second storey drop.

She gave her home one last look as it was eaten by the raging flames. Tears now tracking down her cheeks freely.

Then she ran.


	2. May We Ride into the Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting of Harry and Sienna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have this moment   
> of spilt-second clarity   
> of a future you, running away  
> with no intent of ever  
> turning your face back  
> to the very face   
> you can already see   
> the end of. 
> 
> I am telling you now,   
> for the safe of everything greater,   
> do not hesitate to run. 
> 
> Run for your life - S E E K E R

Sienna had been on the streets for a year now. It had been tough at first and she accepted that had almost died from hunger and cold. That was until she finally figured out how to control the energy within her. Then stealing, warmth, and other necessities had become easy. She had had a lot of free time so reading at libraries and stealing into classes on martial arts become a favourite past time when she was not making sure she had somewhere to sleep. She had kept abreast of what had happened to her family and had cried herself to sleep while reading the article that informed her of the terrible fire that had claimed a family of five.

It wasn’t until her grief had finally dimmed that she had looked closer at the article and realised it was believed an accident. There was no mention of the people who had set the flames or why they had been in their house. More importantly why they killed her family. The question haunted her thoughts night and day.

Unfortunately there wasn’t much she could do about it. She was too afraid to contact her extended family because she was certain if they, whoever they were, knew she was alive then she would be also be visited again by the shadows with knives. Survival, unfortunately, was the priority so despite her desperate desire to know Sienna had leave that until she found a more stable living arrangement.

* * *

Sienna had been squatting in one of the houses on Wisteria lane, having divulged from the coffee store she had been frequenting that the owners were going to be away. People so did love to _brag_ about going on expensive holidays not realising they were practically announcing to all and sundry that their home was going to be vacant for several weeks. It was a bit of bonus as it meant Sienna finally had somewhere solid for couple of week.

Never-mind that the neighbourhood was the most boring ever and a suburban form of hell with all the house the exactly the same with the only changes being the nuances in the gardens. She didn’t worry overmuch about the neighbours, having figured out that the lady on her right side worked nights so was hardly ever out and about. The people on her left were a family and both parents worked and their house was empty by eight in the morning. She really only had to cover herself when leaving the house as the old bat in number 6 with all the cats seemed to have a vested in peering over at everyone’s houses.

Sienna was familiarising herself with her environment or doing recon as she liked to think. She needed to see what was going on around her. This is what lead her doing a walk around the block and down Privat Drive. It was not much better than Wisteria Lane she thought with a sneer. She had cast the energy around her so that people’s gazes would slide off her. It was a grand trick as it didn’t erase her presence or bring about the annoyance of trying to stay undetectable while invisible, it just simply push people’s attention elsewhere or made her seem unimportant. Which was good as she suspected she might have been brought in to the coppers at one point or another otherwise.

A noise made her gaze snap around. There was a sad excuse for a park squeezed into the end of the street with a swing and some bushes. A boy no older than her was swinging on the creaky swing all alone. Which was strange as usually there are parents or siblings at least present. The boy was dressed in clothes that were too big for him and were obviously worn through a bit. It made him look even more skinny than he already was. If Sienna didn’t know any better she would have thought he may be a street kid too. But he lacked the constant awareness that seemed to always be present with street kids. The hyper nervousness they all had as they knew they couldn’t linger and had to keep moving.

As if to confirm her suspicions a group of boys marched right up to the swing boy and pushed him to the ground. Sienna gaped at the blatant act of bullying and glared at the boys. The one that had pushed the swing kid was a big boy and looked like he had never wanted for a meal in his life. His piggy little eyes gleamed with malicious delight as watched the swing boy try to scramble up.

“Come on Freak its time for another game” as the pig shoved the smaller boy again.

All the other boys jeered and pushed the other boy back and forth.

“Come on Freak, or do I need to tell mum and dad?!”

Sienna would’ve snorted at the threat, like seriously whining to a parent, however the way the other boy paled meant this was more than just an ordinary relative? sibling? threatening to tattle tale. She watched as the other boy frantically said, “No Dudley I’ll play.”

The grin that spread on the big boy’s, _Dudley (_ wow she’d feel sympathy for him but… _),_ was tinged with something no child should have. Sadistic glee. Malicious joy. Fucking Dudley was not going to keep his word that was for sure.

Faster than what she thought was possible for a boy his size he punched the smaller boy. “That’s for not listening to me when I asked nicely Freak. Now lets play”

Sienna had had enough. Tearing off the power that made her unnoticeable, she launched herself at _Dudley._ All those martial arts lessons had paid off, not too mention the fact she could pool her power through out her body which made her reflexes quicker and hits harder. The evil pig probably felt like he had just been walloped by a full grown man not a slightly underfed 8 year old. She landed gracefully in front of the downed pig who was now wailing like one.

“Beat it pig,” glaring at him.

“When my parents hear about…”

Sienna almost rolled her eyes. “ooooh are you gunna tell mummy and daddy on me? I tremble with fear pudding boy.”

“Well there’s five of us and only you and the freak, loser.” Said a rat-faced looking boy.

Sienna gasped, “Wow you can _count_? Bravo”

A snicker which was quickly smothered came from behind her. So the little one did have some backbone. Unfortunately it only seemed to rile the pig up.

“You think this is funny Freak?”

And the glove was thrown. It was hardly a fair fight. The pig did get a couple more licks in mostly at the small boy but overall they were all groaning on the ground in less than 10 minutes. She dragged the small boy away while discretely throwing up the desire for people to avert their gazes. They were settled back in her house before the boy finally broke.

“They're going to kill me for this.”

Sienna had been patching him up, as she knew he was likely in shock. She frowned that didn’t sound like the normal ‘my mums going to kill me’ this held real fear in it. After a year on the streets Sienna had realised just how lucky she had been with her family, with every story she encountered she realised despite everything one bad night was not the worse thing ever. Some of the children had existed in a lifetime of cruelty, despair and hatred aimed at them. It had been a humbling thing to acknowledge but at the same time brutally enlightening that not all parents, or adults in charge of children really, loved having a child. 

This child seemed to exhibit the same things. Fear of family when they should love them. The pig boy’s malicious hate of him could only be modelled on something. Plus he was skinner than her, and she had been on the streets for a year.

“why? I was the one that intervened”

“And you did it for me so to my Aunt and Uncle that will mean it’s my fault their precious Duddikins was hurt.”

It was a serious situation but Dudley had been bad enough that. Sienna couldn’t help but snort in laughter. “Dudderkins? Are you bloody serious?”

The boy let out a chuff of a laugh “yeah my Aunt calls him that. Dudderkins, DudleyWudley, Diddums, Dinky Diddydums, Ickle Dudleykins”

Sienna was rolling on the floor laughing, “Stop, stop, I just can’t take it.”

The boy was now grinning, fear temporarily forgotten. He glanced around a bit then frowned. “Um are we at the Moore’s house in Wisteria lane?”

Sienna smirked “we could be...”

“I didn’t know they had a daughter or niece. Besides I thought they were on holiday…” he mused looking around. “Aunt Petunia was annoyed about it for weeks since Mrs Moore was bragging about it.”

“oh they were and they are.”

The boy turned to look at her with a question in his eyes. She just shrugged, “I needed a place to sleep and they were so _helpful_ letting every one know that they would be in the Italian Rivera for _3 weeks_. I mean it was like they were _telling me_ ‘oh Sienna just bunk at our place, no one will notice as it will be free for three weeks”

The boy’s eyes were saucers now “Your…staying here without permission.”

“the technical term is squatting and yep I am. Beats the streets and serves those braggarts right”

This time it was the boy who was on the ground laughing. “I can just imagine proper Mrs Moore’s face if she knew that someone was bunking in her house”

“I also am making my way through all her good chocolate that I found stashed away.”

Both the children giggled hysterically, making Sienna dart away to grab a block of the rich slice of deliciousness to share. Both hummed in happiness as the expensive cholate melted on their mouth.

“I’m Harry by the way.” extending a hand to shake “Thanks for sticking up for me”

“Sienna. And no probs. Though it sounds like I caused you some more”

Harry gave a broken laugh. “Dudley would’ve tattled on me no matter what happened.”

“Why do you stay?”

Harry looked lost and so very fragile in that moment. “I’ve got nowhere else to go.”

Placing a hand on his shoulder ignoring the slight flinch Sienna murmured “sometimes nowhere is better then a place that gives you nothing but pain”

Harry blinked “I’ve thought about running away but…”

“Something holds you back. And what do you think that is?”

“I just…I guess…they are my family…I wonder if maybe…” Harry looked shattered as he voiced the hope he probably didn’t realise he still had.

“They will change. That they will love you.”

“is that wrong?” he whispered.

“No! there is nothing wrong in desiring love and affection. It is normal. It is human.” Sienna slowly placed her arm further around the boy. “And what your relatives are doing is not normal. It is inhumane. You need to understand that. It is wrong what they doing to you.” She sighed “But I also ask you this do you honestly think they will ever change?”

Harry’s mouth was a tight line “no...., no I don’t think they would.”

Sienna held the boy close as he would allow. Letting the confession rest for a minute.

“Have a think about it Harry but I think its time for you to think about your own happiness.”

Harry nodded

“Okay lets get you placed in the guest room for now. I’ll heat up some soup for you and we can watch a movie.”

Harry had stars in his eyes now. "I've never been allowed to watch one before"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

When Harry slept Sienna pull her power into her hands. She knew could heal things and she wanted to encourage Harry’s along. She pressed her hands on his torso only to frown, the bruises were in their final stage of healing already. Which was impossible…

Something to ponder tomorrow she thought as she turned the little glob of light out that she had conjured.

* * *

Harry spent the next three days with her at the Moore’s. She knew he was debating and considering options. From the window they had seen dear Didderkins with an impressive black eye prowling back and forth around the neighbourhood looking for him. The darn cat lady was also seen sticking her nose where it don’t belong.

Harry had told her that Mrs Figg was harmless, Sienna didn’t know but something about her made her titchy. It was her power trying to tell her something, what though she couldn’t say. Maybe she could pay the nosy spinster back and see what was up before she left this suburban hell.

She did so hate to leave a mystery unsolved.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The day she was leaving dawn bright and sunny. Harry was very quiet at breakfast but Sienna knew better than push anyone to make decisions. When they had finally cleaned the Moore’s to a degree they were satisfied with to leave it (except the chocolate cough).

Sienna turned to Harry, “Well I’m off.” Harry was staring at her. “Harry did you want to come too? It won’t be easy but it will be better.”

Harry let out a shaky breath “I want to come but…” he hesitated “you should know something first before I do.” He then mumbled something.

“Er what?”

“I can make stuff happen. Freaky stuff” he confessed in a rush “It's why they hate me”

Sienna narrowed her eyes as things fell into place, “things that don’t make sense. It’s like a power inside of you?”

Harry startled “ah yeah, I once was running from Dudley and found myself on the school roof. Don’t know how I got there”

Teleportation? Nice. That would be handy. Sienna smiled “then I too need to make a confession.” She tugged on her power and allowed it to make both her and Harry float. Harry gasped, then laughed.

“We’re not freaky Harry. Just different. Considering who we are being compared to I think that’s a bloody relief don’t you?”

Landing back on the ground Harry beamed, “More than you know”

“Now do you want to bid the pigs farewell or should we hightail it into the sunset?” She glanced at the horizon and shrugged "Well sunrise but you get my meaning"

Harry had no hesitation as he said “sunrise”

“No fond homey memories you want to relieve before we leave” with no little sarcasm

“This place was never my home.”

“Well they say home is where the heart is. So let’s go where the heart leads.”

Following along Harry inquired “And where is that?”

“I don’t know about you but my powers also give me feelings. And that cat lady is not a cat lady. Well not just. So before we sunride I suggest we say hi to Mrs Figg.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───


	3. Phew! Thank God for the Floo!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suspicions are acted on regarding the weird old cat lady.

They watched Mrs Figg leave like she always did around 2ish for her coffee meet up. Sienna had been careful to also ask her power to make sure the cats can’t see or notice them. They were too smart, it was super fishy.

The whole unit stank of cat and it had Sienna gagging. Harry just shrugged stating he’d been here before. They spent a few minutes looking around and found nada. Harry was sending her glances. They were about to give up when a ringing sounded.

They both creeped to the window but no-one was at the front door. No the ringing it seemed to be coming from the _fireplace._ Both of them tilted their heads then Harry pointed as Mr Tibbles waltzed over and pressed a lever. A fire sprang into existence, despite both of them gaping they both were quick to duck behind the couch. It was lucky they did because a _head_ appeared in the fire. Sienna placed a hand over Harry’s mouth when she heard his loud exhale. They exchanged shocked looks as the green flames showed an elderly man’s face with the longest beard ever and half moon spectacles.

“Arabella? Arabella? Are you in? Oh…? Mr Tibbles did you press the floo button again?” A sigh came followed by a smug meow. “Do you mind if I come through I will leave her a note. Somethings happened with Harry.”

Another meow.

Without warning the man then appeared from the grate. Without thinking about it Sienna pushed her power into them both being invisible and untraceable. Which was lucky as the man’s gaze flickered over to the couch with a slight frown. Harry and Sienna watched as Mr Tibbles wondered over to a table with a fancy writing set on it.

“Ah thank you Mr Tibbles, sardine?” the cat chewed it joyfully “I just want her to check on Harry again, but a bit more thoroughly. There was a slight upset in the wards, I’m not entirely sure what happened. It’s almost like the crashed then re-established themselves as my instruments say they at full strength again. Most peculiar. I would check them myself but well its better I not see the boy. Ignorance is bliss as they say or this case ignorance is better than knowingly negligent. Don’t look at me that way Mr Tibbles, its all necessary for Harry to grow up this way so he can further the Greater Good. It’s the only way forward for the magical world.”

Sienna only understood half of what the Merlin wannabe was saying but it was not good if what she was guessing was true.

“alright I better pop off. I’ll probably won’t stop by unless there’s another incident. The next time will be when Harry turns eleven and is about to finally go to Hogwarts. We only want him going to Diagon alley at exactly the right moment. Not before. Pass on my message to Arabella Mr Tibbles, and make sure you remember this time its Albus not Albert.”

The man left in a floury of green flames after shouting something in the fireplace. Sienna slowly let the invisibility fade but not the aversion. She shushed Harry who was looking like he’d been hit in the stomach again.

They crept over to the letter which was written on heavy _parchment_ for gods sake. Sienna gave the cat a narrowed look and stole it. It immediately noticed of course. She used her most useful ability and made him forget the whole visit with the weird man and the letter. Slipping the letter into her pocket for a later read, Sienna quickly went over their options. They really should leave, the longer the they stayed the more likely they could be noticed. Hell they had been lucky already not to be noticed by Gandalf.

but something from the crazy coot’s speech resonated with her.

_Magic._

Because seriously the man had looked like Merlin, Gandalf and every cliché wizened mystical sage rolled into one package with an add on of a severe case of colour blindness if those weird robes were any indication.

Although the her survival instincts screamed at her to get away from this place, the logical part of her brain also reasoned that they needed more information. Not only that they had mentioned Harry by _name_.

Sienna did not think they had such luck to hope that it may refer to another Harry.

So it was clear they needed to know more about these people, these new enemies. And they were. Unless they proved otherwise but considering the coot’s little speech to Mr Tibbles (if the cat could talk what was with that _name?!) ._ Sienna doubted that would be the case. If anything she suspected would be moving them up in her threat category.

Slowly she and Harry crept around the place, her aversion ability fully in place with cats included know she knew these ones were smart enough to understand humans. This time she looked harder not with her eyes but with her power which is how they found the button to open up a sealed room. The room looked well used with a cauldron (say what?) as the centre piece. The books had splatters on them and all of them had titles consisting of themes around Potions and brewing and ingredient preparation.

Giving Harry the nod they starting stacking them into her bag (another great invention she had made on the street with her abilities, it took as much as she needed without adding weight. She suspected it was a pocket dimension but who knew. What she did know was it was great for stealing shit.) There were weird looking ingredients on the wall stacked in jars. Harry was looking at wide eyed, mouthing the names in confusion and a little fascination as she guessed he also was suspecting the same thing. That all this was real. The unicorn tail hair, the dragon blood, the griffin claw… and thinking that was boggling the mind.

Touching the jars Sienna realised there was power on them, the actual glass it seemed. It was to keep them airtight and sealed. Knowing that they could not spill changed things and she nodded to Harry as they ransacked the joint.

They took the second book shelf as well which had more themes, Ancient Runes? History of the Magical world, Divination (so that wasn’t just made up hokum) along with the tools that were handily nearby like the runes kit and the tarot cards and very large crystal ball. They didn’t take a cauldron as they were all dirty it seemed (gross) but the fancy knives seemed to be self-cleaning and gloves made out some sort of hide were nice.

Sienna could see the more they took the more Harry felt bad. She had stopped feeling guilty about stealing after several months on the street. If this had been a regular old lady with a terrible but understandable fixation on her cats then yeah she would feel guilty. But her abilities always steered her to people that could either afford it or deserved it.

She had a feeling that this lady would be the latter. And Harry would soon not feel guilty at all.

It was time to leave, however Sienna really wanted to know how the teleportation device worked. She glared at the fireplace. She had seen the man throw the powder but then he had yelled something? An activation code? A location?

Hmmmm. Too bad there was no manual.

Or was there?

She moved stealthily around the fireplace, making sure not to disturb the ugly knick knacks. (what was it with old people and ugly ceramics things?) When she found it. it wasn’t actually all that discreet. On the sound written in cheery font were basics instructions.

֎FLOO FIREPLACE֎

TO USE THE FLOO NEWTORK FROM YOUR VERY OWN FLOO FIREPLACE ENSURE YOU ARE CONNECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

TO CHECK IF YOU ARE CONNECTED PLACE SOME FLOO POWDER (A COMPLIMENTARY PACKET HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH YOUR FIREPLACE) AND THROW IT IN YOUR FIREPLACE. THE FLAMES SHOULD TURN EMERALD GREEN. IF THEY DO NOT CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL TRANSPORTATION. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLOO.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK IF ONE HAS THE CORRECT FLOO ADDRESS BEFORE FLOOING.

IF GOING TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE IT IS PRUDENT TO ALERT THE OWNER PRIOR TO FLOOING AS THEY MAY HAVE CLOSED THEIR FLOO CONNECTION OR HAVE WARDS IN PLACE THAT NEED TO BE DEACTIVATED.

TO USE THE FLOO FIREPLACE TO TRANSPORT YOURSELF THROW THE FLOO POWDER INTO YOUR FIREPLACE AND THEN STEP INTO THE EMERALD FLAMES.

SAY YOUR DESTINATION LOUDLY AND CLEARLY.

ENSURE THAT YOU DO NOT SLUR OR MUMBLE AS A MISPORONOUNCED FLOO ADDRESS CAN HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES

WHEN FLOOING YOU WILL FEEL A SPINNING SENSATION AND SEE MANY FIREPLACES PASS BY. DO NOT GET OUT UNTIL YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AS THIS CAN LEAD TO GETTING OUT AT THE WRONG ADDRESS.

KEEP YOUR KNEES BENT AND ELBOWS TUCKED IN TO AVOID GETTING CLIPPED DURING THE TRANSPORTATION.

THE FLOO AUTHORITY NETWORK TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INCIDENCES THAT MAY OCCUR IF ALTERATIONS ARE MADE TO THE FLOO FIREPLACE OTHER THAN THE CLEARED UPGRADES. IF YOU HAVE ISSUES OR CONCERNS REGARING YOUR FLOO FIREPLACE PLEACE CONTACT THE FLOO AUTHORTIY NETWORK.

֎HAPPY FLOOING!֎

Sienna looked at the instructions thoughtfully. That did not sound hard at all. The only thing they were missing was a location.

She had a feeling about what they could say though.

Worse comes to worse they could always dive out of the merry-go-around and see where they end up. Not a grand solution but one nonetheless.

She grabbed Harry’s hand who gave her a disconcerted look when they went to the fireplace. She gave his a squeeze and tossed in the powder.

They both stepped gingerly into the green flames, amazed when they weren’t burnt. It wasn’t a moment too soon as she heard the cat lady’s shrill voice “oh Mr Tibbles, I have a treat for you!”

Loudly and clear she recalled.

“London!”

They were swept out of view before the lady could peer in.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Flooing was not dissimilar to that time she had gone on the carnival ride, the Cyclone. It span around as well as flinging you in all directions. Only in the floo it was all tinged in green with little glimpse into others fireplaces. Weird and insecure? Her house would not have one that’s for sure.

The spinning slowed to a stop and they seemed to have reached the end of their carnival ride. Thank the lord. Whoever invented this must have been high.

The we hurtling towards a large fireplace and Sienna guessed this was their stop. Gingerly she stopped out however Harry tripped and faceplanted.

“That sucked!” he hissed.

Sienna snorted but nodded. She had applied her light unnoticeable ability as soon as they landed. So even they had gotten some odd looks, and a bit of snicker from Harry’s trip no one had blinked an eye at their arrival.

It was one of the dingiest pubs she had ever been in.

And she had now been in quite a few.

Long story.

However the broom was sweeping by itself and most of the patrons were in those weird robes. Thought thankfully in more neutral or drab colors than the Merlin wannabe. There was another arrival from the fireplace and some people from a booth waved them over, completey unsurprised that he had arrived from green fire.

Harry and her observed the strange pub for several minutes when 3 people came dressed normally (well what was normal for them at least...?) and approached the desk. The bartender smiled and gestured to something out back. Curious both she and Harry followed.

They watched discreetly as the bartender tapped a wall with a stick (was he well?). Sienna was about to dismiss this when the wall starting folding in on itself. Harry grabbed her arm as he gaped.

The girl and her parents gasped in delight. The bartender was giving them a proud but toothless grin. “Welcome to Diagon Alley”

It was a rather grandiose intro but it was probably the most amazing thing she had ever seen so she couldn’t really fault him for it.

Diagon Alley. Ohhhh. She glanced up at the arbor that had it crafted in metal. That’s what the old coot had been muttering about. Not diagonally she thought in bemusement but hey kudos for the pun.

The toothless bartender was talking to the girl about shopping for Hug-warts? (another reference she needed to find out) and that they should stop at Gringotts to exchange money. Money hmmm. She had some of course but not a lot.

Harry was whipping his head back and forth, not able to take enough in. Without much in the way of direction Sienna decided to follow the girl and her parents. Harry was whispering excitedly in his ear about people hawking newts eyes and a store for broomsticks? Sienna noticed one that caught her eye not due to its façade, no its numbers were peeling and it looked unextraordinary but she could feel the power emanating from it even yards away. Olivanders fine Wands it said.

“Hey Sienna, are you think what I’m thinking?” murmured Harry.

Yes she thinks she was. First cauldrons, then green fires and a merlin lookalike, then wands, robes, and broomsticks. And the subtle but no so subtle of mention of…

_Magic._

“yes I think I am. Let’s wait and see though”

They came to a Greek like building in white marble with weirdly crooked columns. It out did the rest of the alley in aesthetic by a mile.

Harry pointed to an inscription on the wall “Enter stranger but take heed”

Sienna smirked “A challenge disguised as a warning. Crafty”

“interesting thing to put outside though?” harry mused

“I don’t know I think it spells out their intentions pretty clearly for those who can read between the lines.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───


End file.
